


to breath in the salt filled air

by orphan_account



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: 72nd Hunger Games, Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Gen, Hunger Games, Pre-Hunger Games, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:01:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25128184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A story about how a girl who had nothing to live for joined the rebellion, with the help of some victors.Cordelia realised that she had no one left in her life, so she decided to travel to district 4 to finally see the thing that she was named after. The sea.This takes place just after the reaping of the 72nd hunger games.(the layout of Panem that I have in my mind is not accurate to the official maps, otherwise my story wouldn't really work. In this fic district 12 is located next to 4 and 7, with a vast forrest separating them.)
Kudos: 3





	to breath in the salt filled air

**#1**

Cordelia Stormr was 14 when she realised that she had no one left that she loved. She was 14 when she decided to risk her life to get a glimpse of the sea.

As the presentator called out for: _"Anika Fernberry"_ , Cordelia's world came crushing onto her.

The realisation of her loneliness hit her when she witnessed the reaping of her girlfriend at the 72nd hunger games. She knew that Anika would die when her name was read out. There was no way for a skinny 15 year old girl from district 12 to win. Every unlucky one that was picked died alone and scared in the arena. Dread was all she felt when she was lead by peacekeepers to the room where her girlfriend was waiting to say her last goodbyes to her loved ones.

As the door opened she was quickly embraced.

The thought of Anika's imminent death overwhelmed them both when they hugged in silence for the very last time. No words had to be said, they both knew what the other felt. When their time ran out, they both let out soft good byes while trying to suppress their tears. Cordelia thought that she could hear the words "I love you", as she walked through the door, but she convinced herself that she had misheard. She knew she hadn't but it hurt less to to ignore the thought that they truly loved each other than to deny the existence of anything between them.

She had lost many loved ones in her short but eventful life.

First her sister due to the hunger games, she only remembered the cries of her parents. Then her parents due to them committing treason by joining the rebellion. As much as she wanted to hate her parents for leaving her like they did, them dying for a good cause made it impossible. Though she knew that it was also what caused her brother to die, and for her now to be completely alone. Then her brother followed, he was caught stealing one too many times. Their parents left them to fend for themselves. Stealing was all her brother could do to keep them well fed. He had no knowledge of setting traps of hunting. He died at 13. His frail body couldn't handle the whippings and beatings that it had to endure. She was 10 at the time.

Now she could add her girlfriend to add to this list too she she thought grimly.

What convinced her to start her journey to district 4? Basically her not knowing what to do with her life anymore. She knew that she didn't want to live much longer, but she thought that she should at least have one final goal before her death. She also wasn't strong enough to stay and witness Anika die, but she didn't want to admit it to herself.

Why the one that she finally chose? She doesn't really know. It just seemed fitting her as her family seemed to have an obsession with the sea. From her first and last name both being related to the see, to her family home being decorated with a marine theme in mind. Maybe because of her family's desire to leave the polluted air and grim surroundings of district 12. She thought that she may as well be the one to fulfil that wish as the only remaining individual who still living of the Stormr lineage.

Her plan was to travel through the forrest, which she had grew accustomed and comfortable with as hunting an poaching were what kept her from starvation for years now. She actually had a shot of making it this way so she started saving and searching for the necessary equipment to make it through to 4.

She first started to collect the stuff that she already owned. She had her fathers old boots and backpack, which she was grateful for as those would probably have been big expenses. She then packed in some clothes, pants and sweaters which ones had been her father's and her brother's possessions. Then an old towel. Some kitchen knives, soap, a pair of scissors and lastly two pair of woollen socks. She was glad that she didn't have to buy those stuff as she didn't have any money.

Though she had to buy two things, and she couldn't afford both. What she wanted to buy was a insulated blanket and a plastic sheet that she could turn into a cover for her bag and a shabby rain jacket. She needed those for the cold and rainy weather that she would face. She knew that she could never save up for those before the next reaping, even if she would probably not be picked she didn't want to take a chance. She had only one option left to steal. She couldn't steal it from a shop, as those supplies were rare in 12 so whichever shop owner could get their hand on those things would protect it with their life. So the only thing left to do was to steal money from a person. Cordelia was not a bad person, not really nice, but she wouldn't leave someone to starve. The only person that could miss money that she knew was the drunk victor of district 12. He was so drunk that Cordelia thought that he wouldn't even notice or care. She had seen him some times when she went around trying to sell some dead small animals or some berries, he was passed out most of those encounters. So she went on to search for him. She found him drinking at his favourite bar, he had already gone past his limit as his words were slurred and past recognition. He looked up when she entered the bar, but then continued to not spare her any more attention. That was what Cordelia expected. She snook around Haymitch and reached for his wallet as she did the old man bartending made eye contact with her. His eyes conveyed a sense of disappointment but yet he was clearly understanding as he didn't stop her. He probably thought that she was another starved kid trying to pay for their next meal. Cordelia couldn't be the first one, cause the bartender treated it like a normal occurrence. She felt bad for a second but then remembered that the victor probably didn't care as he would anyways continue to live comfortably.

She went out quickly and bought the stuff that she needed. She took two days to prepare for everything. The last thing she did was cutting of her strawberry blonde braid. She had always wanted to do this but even her who had nothing left to live for cared about societal pressure and expectations. 

Then she went through her house. She felt scared as she would probably never see her house again but she knew she had to if she wanted to truly be happy before she died. Though remembering the rare happy moments that she still had of her family gave her reassurance. She gave the house one last look and then she left. Leaving her family home behind her for the first time in her life.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic, I thought that it was fun to try to create my own characters in someone else's story setting.  
> Sorry if it's a tad awkward!
> 
> Also thank you for reading this even if it's about an oc!
> 
> I still have 2 parts left to post and then it's finished!
> 
> (I will update again this week)


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